


Love thy neighbor

by hkandi



Category: Naruto
Genre: Adopted Children, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Neighbors, Complete, Developing Friendships, Developing Relationship, Domestic Fluff, Flirting, Fluff, Gen, Humor, I think popcorn would be a good snack with this, M/M, Neighbors, Ninjas! On tv at least..., Or cereal, Young fathers kind of, watching anime
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-04
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-17 22:55:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,812
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29848764
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hkandi/pseuds/hkandi
Summary: Kakashi and Sasuke move next door to Iruka and Naruto, and they hit it off, in more ways than one.
Relationships: Hatake Kakashi & Hatake Kakashi's Ninken, Hatake Kakashi & Maito Gai | Might Guy, Hatake Kakashi & Uchiha Sasuke, Hatake Kakashi & Umino Iruka, Hatake Kakashi & Yamato | Tenzou, Hatake Kakashi/Umino Iruka, Mitarashi Anko & Umino Iruka, Umino Iruka & Uzumaki Naruko
Comments: 15
Kudos: 102





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Written for an anonymous tumblr ask of "you should write a kakairu fic where kakashi is sasukes adoptive dad and they move next door to iruka and naruto and he tries to woo iruka from there" (there was also a crying laughing face, but I can't do it on my computer)
> 
> Thank you for the inspiration, I had fun writing it, and I hope you enjoy it!
> 
> Requests are always welcomed!!!

(I don't own any characters etc etc)

Iruka stretched and groaned as he woke, feeling that he was not alone in his bed. Peering one eye open, he saw a familiar sight through his tussled hair.

"Morning, kiddo," he said, sitting up and tucking his hair behind his ears.

"Iruka! You're finally up!" Naruto shouted, making Iruka squint at the onslaught to his eardrums.

"It's too early for this," Iruka sighed. "What's for breakfast?"

"Cereal! I brought you milk in a glass so you can add it to your bowl and the cereal won't get soggy," Naruto informed him, eyes glued to the television in Iruka's room.

"Can't have soggy cereal," Iruka agreed, as he poured his milk in. "Thanks, Naruto. Did I miss anything?"

"It's about to begin! But I think it's still a filler episode," the blond said, pouting, and Iruka laughed as he leaned his back against his headboard and started to eat.

"Filler episodes can be important too, but I get it," Iruka said in between bites. "It's still the summer, there'll probably be new episodes when we go back to school..."

They watched their favorite Saturday morning anime about badass ninjas fighting bad guys and saving the world, then got up for their day - heading to the park to take advantage of summer break, as Naruto was off from school, as was Iruka, a teacher at the same school.

It was late afternoon when they finally got back to their modest house on a nice, sunny street. The houses had decent sized yards around each one, which had attracted Iruka's parents when they bought the house many years ago. Unfortunately, tragedy befell the family when Iruka was a young teenager, and he had had to move out and into an orphanage until he could legally take ownership of the house. While he was there, family friends who had been unable to foster or adopt Iruka kept watch over the house and made sure everything was neat and orderly.

And, the orphanage hadn't been that bad, though it certainly wasn't what any kid wanted. But without it, he would not have met Naruto, a boisterous blond ball of sunshine ten years younger than Iruka.

Iruka had left the orphanage at 18, but was in his second year of college by then, having entered it a year early due to studying his butt off. He had been able to receive scholarships to live on campus, and did so until he graduated with his teaching degree so as to save money, visiting Naruto often, who had been adopted by his own family friend, a raucous older man named Jiraiya who returned to Konoha when Iruka was about to enter college, and Naruto was seven.

Knowing Naruto was with as near to family as the boy could be had helped Iruka embrace that new chapter of his life, and when Iruka was able to stand on his own two feet and return to his childhood home, where he had spent time away from college at, Jiraiya and Naruto had approached him about having Naruto live with him, as Jiraiya's publisher wanted him to return to travelling the world for whatever strange books he wrote.

Now, Iruka was 24, Naruto was 14, and it had been about a year since the legal papers were drawn up officially naming Iruka as Naruto's guardian.

They lived a comfortable life in the lovely home, and Jiraiya provided financial assistance to supplement a young teacher's salary, so they were comfortable (the main word they always used to describe themselves) and not wanting for things, though certainly not living a lavish lifestyle.

Things, in short, were pretty good for them!

However, their next door neighbors to the left of their house had moved away at the start of the summer, a kind, elderly couple that adored Iruka and Naruto.

On this sunny summer afternoon, they were shocked to return home and see that the "for sale" sign at the front of the house now had "sold" placed over it in bold red letters.

"Iruka! The house sold!" Naruto yelled, bouncing up and down. "Do you think the new owners will be nice? That they'll have kids? Or a dog?"

Iruka laughed. They had started to talk about getting a dog, but hadn't been sure about it yet.

"Who knows?" Iruka said. "I guess we'll have to wait and see...."

They didn't have to wait long, it turned out, as within a few days, they spied someone with a measuring tape and notebook, running around that property in a green track suit.

Exchanging a look, Iruka and Naruto shrugged and went out to greet the man.

"Hello!" Iruka called out from over the wooden, waist-high (on an adult) fence. "Are you our new neighbor?"

The man paused and stood up from the crouch he was in, shaking dark hair out of his eyes as he ran over to them, where it settled into a tidy bowl cut.

"Good afternoon!" the man yelled out, beating Naruto in his volume. "I am not, but I am a good friend of his! I am Gai Might!" Gai said, extending a hand for a bone-crushing hand shake.

"Hi, Gai," Iruka wheezed, shaking his hand out. "I'm Iruka, this is Naruto. We live here," he said, gesturing to their own house.

"Why are you here?" Naruto asked him, and Iruka nudged him in the ribs to shush him.

"I am here on behalf of my friend, your soon to be new neighbor!" Gai exclaimed, giving them a thumbs up. "He is out of town and we thought it would be helpful for me to take measurements to help him order furniture and curtains."

"That's...oddly particular," Iruka laughed.

"Curtains make a house!" Gai sighed. "And yours are a lovely shade of green! That shows you are nice people!"

Iruka and Naruto exchanged another look of disbelief, not that Gai seemed to catch on.

"He also wanted me to check out the yard and fence, to see if it needs to be repaired. Though, I think we shall need to add some more fencing," Gai said, making a note.

"Why?" Naruto asked.

"For his dogs!"

"DOGS?!" Naruto shouted, and Iruka winced but laughed.

"We're thinking of getting a dog ourselves," Iruka informed the other man. "I think Naruto already loves your friend." He paused. "How many dogs does he have?"

"Ah....at least three? Possibly more, I have not seen them for a bit," Gai admitted.

"Three?!" Iruka and Naruto said in unison.

"Three dogs as neighbors! Woo!" Naruto cheered.

"Are they loud?" Iruka asked, and Gai smiled.

"They are very well behaved," he said.

"That doesn't mean they're not loud...." Iruka sighed. "Is it just your friend and his dogs then?"

But before Gai could answer, his phone rang. "Speaking of, it is him! I should take the call, I will see you again, Naruto, Iruka!" Gai said, and the others waved before turning to head into their home.

"Rival!" Iruka could hear Gai shout. "I have met your new neighbors!"

"Rival?" Iruka laughed to himself. "What a strange nickname!"

_______

For the next week, the house next door was rather busy. Gai and two other people, introducing themselves as Yamato and Genma, appeared at that house daily to oversee different repairs, a new fence, and the delivery of furniture.

"He's an army buddy of ours," Genma explained to Iruka, the second time he appeared there. "Been away from Konoha a bit. Well, we all were, but the rest of us came back, Kakashi stayed out of town for longer. In service for longer than us, then just out of town. Good guy, though."

And then, finally, it was moving day!

Naruto was the first to spot the moving truck, and called out to Iruka. They stood at a window in Naruto's bedroom and watched movers take boxes of various sizes into the house, along with some large appliances, still boxed up.

A regular car, a silver SUV, was parked in the driveway, though they didn't spy their new neighbor.

But, once the moving truck was gone, barking filled the air and dogs filled the yard. Four, or was it five? Or more?

"Dogs!" Naruto said in a breathless tone, eyes wide as he watched them run around.

"Wow," Iruka said, similarly awed.

They watched the dogs for a while, Iruka barely keeping Naruto in the house and not vaulting out the window to play with them.

"We should give him a few days to settle in," Iruka suggested, especially since they hadn't actually caught sight of their new neighbor.

Naruto gave it only three days, and helped Iruka to make chocolate chip cookies to take over to greet him.

Dressed in nice, but casual clothes, they walked to the other's front door and rang the doorbell, Iruka holding the plate of cookies, covered in plastic wrap.

They could hear dogs barking, and a man telling them to sit.

Iruka and Naruto held their breaths as the door opened...and a tall, lean man with a youthful face but grey hair looked at them with a blank look on his face.

A boy about Naruto's age and height appeared next to the man, his dark hair and eyes contrasting with the adult's, but his face equally stoic.

The four looked at each other in silence for a moment, before Iruka remembered his manners.

"Hello!" he greeted them. "We're your neighbors," he said, nodding at his house. "I'm Iruka, and this is Naruto."

"Hi!" Naruto shouted.

Their new neighbors looked at them without blinking for a long moment.

"I'm Kakashi," the adult finally said. "This is Sasuke."

Sasuke remained silent, narrowing his eyes slightly at Naruto, who smiled wider at him.

"We made you cookies!" Naruto told them. "Iruka's the best baker! He's not that great at cooking, though he makes pretty okay rice, and ramen, and eggs, and pancakes, and --"

"I think that's good enough," Iruka hushed him, blushing slightly. "We don't starve," he told Kakashi. "Or eat out a lot. Usually."

"We don't eat sweet things," Sasuke said, finally speaking up. "We don't eat cookies."

Iruka opened his mouth to say something, pausing with his mouth open. "Um...I guess we should've made a lasagna?" he joked.

"Or ramen!" Naruto argued.

"We'll still take the cookies," Kakashi said, but Iruka smiled softly.

"I don't want to force it on you," the teacher said. "It's fine, really."

"We eat ramen," Sasuke interjected.

"You do? Have you been to Ichiraku's?" Naruto began, not really waiting for an answer. "It's the best place! They love us, and their food is amazing! We have to take you there! And can we play with your dogs? Can we take them on a walk?"

Kakashi laughed. "Sure, whenever they're out, you can come over and play. Or, if you come over to hang out with Sasuke." He looked at Iruka. "If that's okay with you?"

Iruka smiled, flattered by the other man's consideration. "I'm fine with it, of course, though we're happy to let you get settled in first. And Sasuke would be welcomed at our house, of course."

Kakashi smiled back, and Sasuke rolled his eyes at the interaction. Naruto was too busy trying to peer into the house to see a dog, but before anyone could do or say anything further, Kakashi's phone rang.

"I should get this," he sighed, looking at it. "Nice to meet you both."

"And you," Iruka said, steering Naruto back home with one hand, carrying the cookies with the other.

"Did you see that, Iruka?" Naruto cheered. "He has dogs AND a kid my age! This is going to be so cool!"

"And he's cute," Iruka sighed.

"What?" 

"What?"

Naruto rolled his eyes and Iruka laughed as they headed inside, not giving it more thought for the rest of the day.

_____

They gave their new neighbors some space for a few days so the others could continue to get settled in, but ran into them as Iruka and Naruto were heading out on errands.

The kids talked about the dogs, as Sasuke and Kakashi were in their yard with the pack, and the adults made small talk.

"You're a teacher?" Kakashi asked, and Iruka nodded. "What school?"

"The local one, Konoha High," Iruka told him.

"Hey, no kidding? That's where we enrolled Sasuke," Kakashi said. 

"Oh, how nice! Naruto goes there too. After you take Sasuke in on his first day, I'm happy to take them to school together," Iruka offered.

"We can alternate," Kakashi countered, and Iruka laughed.

"You'll take me into work with them?" he teased.

Kakashi smirked. "And pick you up," he said with a wink, making Iruka's insides flutter.

"What about you?" Iruka asked. "What do you do for work?"

"I'm a courier at the moment," the other man said. "High class stuff. I get important things to where they need to be, door to door, make sure they're safe and secure."

Iruka was surprised. "That must be an interesting job," he commented, and Kakashi shrugged.

"It can be, but more often than not it's boring," he admitted. "It's for a bit of a break after the military, but the pay is decent."

They talked more that day, as well as here and there over the next two weeks. 

Iruka and Naruto learned that Kakashi adopted Sasuke in the last year after the Uchiha family passed away in a tragic accident, as Kakashi was a friend of Sasuke's older brother.

Kakashi had been abroad for a while before that, and remained with Sasuke to live outside of Konoha in a rich suburb while they figured out what to do, before deciding to return to Konoha, Kakashi's roots.

"A new start, kind of," Kakashi had reflected.

In turn, Iruka shared of how he and Naruto came to be in each other's lives and how they ended up living as they did.

Iruka and Naruto did take their new neighbors for ramen, and the others invited them to grill in their backyard. Otherwise, they began to spend time together here and there, organically and informally, and for the kids it often involved being outside playing sports or with the dogs.

"Are kids always this active?" Kakashi asked Iruka one afternoon, as the kids ran around throwing a ball to the dogs.

Iruka laughed. "Usually? Once they get into school things will calm down a bit, at least while they do homework. Maybe they'll get into sports?"

"Maybe," Kakashi agreed. "School's not far away, right?"

"Yep, it's just about time for back to school shopping."

"Huh," Kakashi mused, scratching his chin. "I guess I should pop online and order some stuff for him..."

Iruka turned to look at him. "Are you crazy?"

"What?"

"You can't just order supplies online! He has to go and see it all, see what speaks to him, what feels right. How many subjects per notebook? What color pens? Colored pencils or crayons or markers? And there's the backpack, don't even get me started on that!"

Kakashi laughed as Iruka paused.

"Sorry," Iruka said bashfully. "I guess I got a bit carried away there."

"You're passionate about it," Kakashi laughed. "I dig it. Where do you and Naruto go for his stuff?"

"Just one of those big box stores," Iruka admitted. "We were going to go tomorrow or the day after, if you want to go with?"

"I would, but I have a bunch of meetings scheduled," Kakashi sighed. "Would you mind taking Sasuke? I'll give him my card, and then he can get what he wants."

Iruka agreed, and found himself following the two eager teenagers two days later as they piled supplies into their respective carts, arguing about each other's selections.

"Two teenage boys," Iruka muttered. "Why did I agree to this?"

They returned home after stopping to get pizza, and Sasuke dropped off his supplies at his house before coming over to Iruka and Naruto's, stating Kakashi was still in a meeting.

The kids ate and played video games for an hour before Sasuke left, taking some pizza home at Iruka's request.

Iruka was surprised when a short time later, Naruto poked his head into Iruka's room and told him Sasuke was asking for Iruka's number for Kakashi.

Iruka agreed to Naruto sharing it, and his own phone buzzed with a text a moment later.

Composing himself, though he wasn't sure why he needed to, Iruka sat up in his bed and checked it.

It was Kakashi, apologizing for texting and not calling due to it being night time, and thanking him for taking Sasuke out and for the pizza. He also wanted to check that the day hadn't been too much of a trouble for Iruka?

Iruka assured him it was fine and Sasuke was a joy to be around, laughing to himself when Kakashi debated that.

"We're having a small barbeque tomorrow night," Kakashi wrote. "A few of our friends, please join us!"

Iruka thanked him and agreed to it, unable to focus on anything else for the rest of the night.

____

Sasuke and the dogs milled about in the kitchen as the adults got things ready.

Shizune and Tsunade smushed his cheeks as he passed by, talking about how big he'd grown as he rolled his eyes.

Gai and Yamato laughed as they took food out of the fridge to take outside to grill.

"What do you think of the house? Was it not a great find?" Gai asked Kakashi, who nodded.

"It's nice, a good change of pace," he admitted.

The group headed outside, and Sasuke yelled out for Naruto.

"Sasuke!" Kakashi admonished him.

"What? That's what we do," the Uchiha said, shrugging.

"He made a friend?" Yamato asked, and Kakashi nodded as they began to set food on the grill.

"Our neighbor has a kid his age," Kakashi said. 

"Naruto, and Iruka, correct?" Gai recalled. "Such nice people!"

"Single dad alert?" Tsunade asked, grabbing a beer from a cooler.

Kakashi silently shrugged, but Gai chimed in.

"I believe so! Iruka is nice and kind! Such great neighbors for my rival!"

"Gai, not so loud!" Kakashi hushed him as said neighbors left their house and headed over.

"He's cute!" Tsunade whispered to Kakashi. "Isn't he somebody's type?"

Kakashi ignored her but introduced his neighbors to everyone, and as usual, the kids and dogs began to run around and play elsewhere.

"Gai's my oldest friend, and Yamato and Shizune were in the military with me," Kakashi informed Iruka. "Tsunade knows them, and she was a friend of my dad's as well."

"She's had a bit of work done," Yamato muttered to Iruka as he passed him a beer; Iruka accepted it and tried to hide his smile.

The group spent the evening grilling, eating, talking, and eating more.

Iruka helped to clean up before he and Naruto excused themselves once the kids started to yawn, telling the others that the boys had stayed up too late playing online video games with the other.

Kakashi sent Sasuke to bed as well with no complaints from the Uchiha, and the group moved inside with the dogs.

"You know," Shizune said as they settled in the living room. "I asked Iruka for his number."

The men exchanged a look, and Tsunade smiled into her drink, muttering about winning a bet 'for once.'

"And?" Kakashi asked after a long silence.

"He's gay," she told him nonchalantly. "Didn't you know?"

"I...uh..." Kakashi began. "We haven't really talked like that..."

"How wonderful!" Gai yelled. "Now you know and can pursue him!"

"I don't know," Kakashi said. "It didn't really come up before, it might be weird to move forward with it now."

"Ask him out! Ask him out!" Tsunade chimed in. "Hot, single, neighbor dad alert!"

Yamato rolled his eyes but turned to his friend. "Since when do you not just go for someone who catches your eye?"

Kakashi sighed. "It's different now that Sasuke's in my life and we're trying to get more settled, more stable. Sasuke seems to be getting a real friend in Naruto, something he hasn't had for a while. Can I really hit on his friend's dad?"

"Adopted dad," Shizune corrected him. "Almost like..."

"A big brother," Tsunade offered. "You can hit on Naruto's big brother. You can do more than that! He's so fit and hot, you could --"

"I think we get the idea," Yamato interrupted her. "Though, she has a point."

Kakashi laughed. "Yeah...maybe? It's not like I haven't thought about it already..."

______

Kakashi began to think about how to go about "wooing the most worthy and humble Iruka," per Gai.

He took any chance he could, asking questions, complimenting him, doing yoga in his backyard without a shirt on. Unbeknownst to him, he was growing quite the fanclub in doing that, Iruka included.

Though, the slight blush on the younger man's face for a few days started to clue Kakashi in...

Still, he knew he'd have to really up his game. Iruka was too much of a good guy, a strong guy, to just fall for anything.

Looking at the calendar one morning, a lightbulb went off in Kakashi's head. He was due to take Sasuke in for his new school's orientation the next day, and since parents were invited to join, Kakashi figured he should go and learn more about Iruka's workplace. And Sasuke's school, not just for Iruka, he told himself...

"Aren't you trying too hard?" Sasuke sighed the next day as they walked in the parking lot to orientation.

"What?"

"Your outfit," the boy said. "You're trying too hard."

Kakashi frowned as he looked down at himself, then at Sasuke. The Uchiha was wearing a high necked dark blue shirt and dark pants. Kakashi was wearing a dark blue dress shirt with silver vertical stripes tucked into dark blue jeans, sleeves rolled up. 

Had he put a bit of effort into his outfit in case a certain someone was around? Maybe...

"What's wrong with my outfit? I'm going for a business casual look. After all, I'm your guardian and I want to make a good impression for you," Kakashi sighed. "Kids."

Sasuke stared at him, and Kakashi fidgeted.

"I'm...trying to make...a good impression...for Iruka?" Kakashi weakly admitted.

"Hn," Sasuke sighed, and they entered the school, checking in at a registration desk before being shown to the auditorium for the orientation.

An hour later they knew more about the school than either cared and the orientation split into smaller groups for guided tours.

A teacher named Ebisu showed Kakashi and Sasuke's group around, droning on and on about this and that as he led the group around.

They ended in the cafeteria where light refreshments were laid out along with the students' schedules, and the two of them sat at a table with drinks to go over Sasuke's schedule and coursework.

"Hello!" a voice said as it neared them, and Kakashi looked up to find Iruka walking over. "Can I join you?"

Kakashi numbly nodded, caught off guard by how good Iruka looked. The teacher was wearing a semi-light colored blue dress shirt with an orange tie, dark blue pants, and trendy white sneakers.

"Nice tie," Sasuke commented, ignoring a glare Kakashi shot at him.

"Isn't it?" Iruka said, smiling fondly as he looked at it. "Naruto gave it to me and I wear it often."

"It's nice," Kakashi told him before turning to look at Sasuke. "Why haven't you gotten me a tie?"

"You don't wear ties," Sasuke reminded him, and Iruka laughed. "I'll get you a comb, maybe then your hair won't look so bad," he said, as Iruka's laughter grew.

"It's a style," Kakashi sighed. "A messy but styled style." Looking at Iruka, Kakashi nearly pouted. "Why do I suddenly feel like the moody teenager explaining style to his dad?"

Iruka laughed again as he swirled his cup of lemonade. "I think it's because we're still in our cool phases. We're dads, but we're still just cool adults, right?"

"Exactly," Kakashi mused. "Someone gets me, thank you."

"Is Naruto here?" Sasuke asked.

"No, since school isn't starting for a few days it's only us teachers here," Iruka told them. "But at least today we get some nice snacks. Was it a good orientation?"

"Pretty much," Kakashi said. "It seems like a good school."

Iruka brightened at the comment. "It is! A lot of people want to go here, but they do try to focus on the local kids mainly. Still, I'm impressed you got Sasuke in on short notice?"

"Tsunade pulled some strings for us," Kakashi admitted. "She's kind of like a godmother to him."

"And to you," Sasuke said. "She keeps him in line," he told Iruka.

"Do you need to be kept in line often?" Iruka asked Kakashi, his smile reaching his eyes.

"Sometimes," Kakashi said with a wink, but before they could continue, another teacher called Iruka over.

"I'll see you guys later," Iruka said as he stood. "Welcome to your new school, Sasuke!"

Kakashi followed Iruka with his eyes, until Sasuke kicked him under the table.

"Can we go now?" the boy sighed. "I have better things to do with my last few days of freedom before school than watch you make googly eyes."

"Sure, but just wait until you make your own googly eyes," Kakashi said as he drained his glass. "I get to tease you then!"

_________

School started, and Naruto and Sasuke found themselves in the same class. Kakashi had been slightly dissappointed that they weren't in Iruka's class, as he had had daydreams about parent-teacher conferences with a certain brunette. Iruka had shared that he couldn't teach Naruto as he was his guardian, but that their teacher, Raidou, was one of the best at the school.

The kids began to spend even more time together, heading to school in the mornings with Iruka, doing some sports or clubs one or two afternoons a week at school, and often doing homework/studying/playing several evenings a week together.

Kakashi didn't miss the opportunity to start making extra coffee in the morning, insisting Iruka take to-go cups at least twice a week as he walked Sasuke to Iruka's car, even though the teacher was well-caffeinated on his own. The older man also began to think of how to "compensate" Iruka for driving Sasuke, even with Iruka reminding them time and again that it was no bother since he and Naruto were going to the same place at the same time.

"I'll figure something out," Kakashi told Iruka one day during the third week of school, pushing a coffee cup into his hands. "Wouldn't want you thinking I'm taking advantage of your kindness."

Iruka smiled as he sipped his coffee. "It's fine, really."

"Actually," Kakashi began, scratching his own chin, "while I don't want to seem like I'm taking advantage of your kindness...I've been working locally more recently, and doing phone consultations for some other places, but now that Sasuke is settled in school, I may start taking distance work." He paused. "If I was out of town here and there and none of my friends could --"

Iruka interrupted him. "We'd love to have Sasuke stay with us," he assured him. "Actually, Naruto started talking about them 'finally' having a sleepover. I said he had to show me he was doing his schoolwork on time before I'd consider it," Iruka admitted.

"Believe it!" Naruto chimed in. "It's going to be so great!

"You'd actually socialize overnight?" Kakashi said to Sasuke, voice tinged with mock surprise as the boy looked up from his phone.

Sasuke rolled his eyes as Naruto laughed. "I'm not as socially awkward as you," Sasuke said.

Kakashi looked at Iruka, pouting slightly. "I'm not socially awkward at all."

"He totally is," Sasuke told Iruka, who laughed. "He's terrible."

"Stop showing off in front of them," Kakashi grumbled. "You were such a goth kid, remember? All moody broody."

"It's more emo," Naruto chimed in. "Goth is so over."

Iruka and Kakashi exchanged a look.

"I feel old," Iruka sighed. "I remember my goth phase..."

"You do?" the other three asked in unison, and Iruka blushed.

"Look at the time, we'd better be off!" he said, ushering the kids into the car. "Bye, Kakashi!"

"See you," Kakashi replied, watching them leave. "Maybe Sasuke will be able to get me inside intelligence through sleepovers...until I can try to get my own sleepover with Iruka..." he said to himself as he headed inside his house.

From another room, a dog barked.

"I know, Pakkun," Kakashi yelled back. "I didn't mean it like that, I really do like him!"

________

Iruka was grading papers one night at his house with his friend and fellow teacher, Anko.

Naruto and Sasuke passed through the kitchen where the adults were working to grab a snack before heading to the living room to finish watching a movie for school.

Iruka, naturally, hadn't believed them at first, but sure enough, Raidou had allowed his class a choice between reading a book from a designated list and writing a shorter report, or watching one of several movies and doing a more detailed analysis.

"Who's Naruto's new friend?" Anko asked. "I feel like I've seen him before?"

"He's our new neighbor, Sasuke," Iruka told her. "They moved in a little before school started and he transferred to our school, in the same class as Naruto."

"Ah," Anko said. "I won't really see him then," she reflected, as she taught several freshmen subjects. "Are his parents nice?"

"He's just got the one, kind of like us," Iruka said. "A family friend took guardianship of him last year and they moved back here. A nice guy."

"Oh?" Anko said, newly interested. "How old?"

"Uh....older than me? Maybe like two or three years older than you?"

"Okay," she said, nodding. "And?"

"And?"

"Iruka!" she hissed. "Attractive? Single? Good job?"

"Oh my god, Anko," Iruka chided her. 

"What? I'm single and always on the lookout."

"I know, you tell me every week," Iruka sighed.

"So?"

"Um...good job, it sounds like. I don't know if he's single, it hasn't come up."

She studied him. "Attractive?"

Iruka was silent but his blush gave him away.

"Oh, that's a tell, he is!" she shrieked, as Iruka hushed her. "Is he more into you, or me?"

"I don't even know what to say to that," Iruka said, shaking his head. "That hasn't come up either."

"Well, does he know that you're --"

"I don't know!" Iruka said, throwing his hands up at her prolonged questioning. "He invited us to a barbeque he had and one of his female friends did ask for my number, so I told her I'm gay, but I don't know if he knows. Can we get back to work now?"

"You're no fun," Anko sighed, but did as asked. "Sounds like you could be interested," she said with a side look at him.

"I'm interested in finishing my work," Iruka said.

"Okay, but have you called dibs?" she asked, ducking to dodge a pen he threw at her.

After the movie was over and they had compared notes, Sasuke packed up and headed home.

He greeted Kakashi, who was working on his laptop in the living room, dogs piled here and there.

"How was the movie?" Kakashi asked.

"It was okay," Sasuke said, shrugging as he scratched Bull's head. "Not the most exciting, but better than a book report."

"Fair enough," Kakashi commented.

"Iruka had another teacher over to work, one of his friends," Sasuke said. "She teaches the freshmen, but I've seen her here and there. She has a new crazy hair color each week, you can't really miss her."

Kakashi laughed as he paused his work. "Another fair point."

"I heard her asking about you," Sasuke said, glancing at Kakashi. "Asking Iruka about his new neighbors."

"And?" Kakashi asked, an eyebrow raising out of curiousity.

"She wanted to know if you were single and attractive."

"What did he tell her?"

Sasuke shrugged. "He was kind of silent, but she laughed a lot and seemed to think he implied you were."

"Really?" Kakashi said, sitting straighter. Next to him, Guruko shifted on the sofa at the movement.

"I think she's hoping to run into you sometime, here or at school," Sasuke told him."She asked if he had called 'dibs' on you, she seems pretty crass."

"Whatever," Kakashi said, waving the thought away. "Did you tell Iruka anything about me?"

"Like what?"

"Like that I'm into men too, that I'm into him?"

Sasuke scoffed at him. "Why would I? I'm not going to tell your business like that."

"How'd you get to be so smart?" Kakashi asked, giving him an eye smile.

"I'm an Uchiha, remember?" Sasuke said, rolling his eyes. "But if you cross me, I'll tell him all your embarrassing secrets," he warned, as he walked out of the room.

"I have none!" Kakashi called after him.

"Oh yeah? Like how you talk babytalk to the dogs?" Sasuke called bad.

Kakashi frowned and looked at the pack. "But you guys love it, right?"

_________

If Kakashi was away during the week, Yamato or Gai would stay at his place in the evenings so that Sasuke was still watched over and the dogs could be taken care of. Kakashi hadn't wanted to overstep anything with Iruka during the week.

Weekends, however, were a different story, as the boys would plead to have sleepovers regularly.

The first time it happened, Kakashi had semi-awkwardly walked Sasuke over, a bag of miscellaneous items and clothing slung on the boy's shoulders.

Scratching the back of his grey head bashfully when Iruka opened the door, Kakashi had given an awkward smile.

Iruka smiled back and invited them both in.

"Naruto's upstairs, pizza is on its way," he told them. "Would you like to join us for dinner?" he asked Kakashi.

"Thanks," Kakashi said, following Iruka to the living room. "Actually, I don't mean to intrude, I just didn't know protocol for this, now that it's a sleepover and not just hanging out?"

"I get it," Iruka said, motioning for him to sit. "First sleepover Sasuke's had in a while?"

"First since I stepped into this role," Kakashi admitted. "Not because of me, but with everything happening, and people talking...they withdrew from him, he withdrew from them. It was just us and the dogs, and my friends here and there."

"He seems to really be blossoming here," Iruka commented.

"I think so too," Kakashi agreed.

"If it helps," Iruka began, "I see him getting quite the friends circle at school too, Naruto's group has really made him part of them. Some of the guys were away over the summer but I think soon Kiba, Shikamaru, and Choji will start having things at their houses too. They're good kids."

"Ah, I'll keep that in mind," Kakashi said, looking around. "Nice place, by the way."

"Oh, I forgot, it's your first time over here, right?" Iruka said, looking around. "It's simpler than yours, you updated a lot of the house. Still, we like it. It feels a bit like my parents." He laughed. "But when I had friends over I didn't have the set up Naruto has."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, we got him bunk beds like in a dorm, so they're bigger and more mature than kids' ones. When I was growing up we just did sleeping bags and blankets on the floor," Iruka laughed.

"Same," Kakashi agreed. "I'm afraid that's what'll happen at my place if, when, Naruto stays over."

"I'm sure the dogs will more than make up for it," Iruka said, smiling.

Just then, the doorbell rang and the kids ran downstairs as Iruka opened the door, Kakashi swooping in to pay.

"Thank you, but you didn't have to!" Iruka chided him.

"Maa, I can't let you feed two growing boys yourself," Kakashi said, waving it off.

Iruka attempted to have them all sit together to eat, but the boys begged to eat in Naruto's room, so off they went with their own pizza.

Iruka and Kakashi looked at each other.

"We could watch something?" Iruka suggested, and they returned to the living room with pizza and soda, picking a new-ish action movie to watch.

When it was over, Kakashi helped to clean up and began to leave.

"This was fun, thanks for it," he said.

"Yeah, it was," Iruka replied, as he walked him to the door. "I know it can be...intimidating...to take on this role at our age, so if you ever need anything, or to talk, let me know, okay?"

Kakashi smiled. "Sure, thanks. Have a goodnight, hope they don't keep you up!"

"Me too," Iruka laughed. "Bye."

And with that, Kakashi walked to his house, smiling the entire time.


	2. Chapter 2

(I don't own any characters etc etc)

Still unsure of how to approach the whole sleepover thing, Kakashi texted Iruka early in the morning to see if he should do anything, or come by to get Sasuke by any particular time?

"No," Iruka replied. "You're good. We're about to sit down to watch our show, if you want to join us?"

Now, Kakashi had no clue what Iruka was referring to, but he was not going to pass on an invitation to spend time with the other man, so he checked on the dogs and headed over, glad he had already showered and changed.

Knocking on the front door, he was greeted by a fairly chipper Iruka, holding a cup of coffee in one hand.

"Are you hungry?" Iruka asked. "We're having cereal..."

"Cereal sounds good," Kakashi said, following Iruka to the kitchen and pouring himself a bowl, avoiding the more sugary ones Iruka had.

They proceeded to the living room, where the kids barely greeted him as they talked about...something he couldn't follow.

Kakashi had to bite back laughter when he saw the kids were still in their pajamas - bright orange for Naruto, black ones for Sasuke. Frustratingly for Kakashi, Iruka appeared to have showered and put on leisure wear - dark blue slim joggers and a similarly colored hoodie.

Wearing jeans and a sweater, Kakashi suddenly felt overdressed, but all thoughts were forgotten once he sat on the sofa next to Iruka.

"What are we watching?" Kakashi asked.

"Only the best show ever!" Naruto assured him. "These really cool ninjas fight bad guys and always save the day! Though, it can be sad and all. Iruka says it teaches us life's lessons."

Kakashi looked at Iruka with a raised eyebrow, and the teacher smiled.

"It's a good show," he said. "Naruto's gotten Sasuke into it, apparently."

Sasuke nodded, and the show began before anyone could say anything else.

When it was over, Kakashi shook his head.

"So, let me get this straight," he said to the others. "They have energy in them and they can use it to fight?"

"Fight and protect," Naruto corrected him.

"And summon things, like animals," Sasuke added.

"And the giant slug..." Kakashi began.

"Was a summons," Iruka said.

"And the curse mark..."

"It's a long story," Naruto sighed.

"And the big weapon..."

"Fuma shuriken," Sasuke told him.

Kakashi ran a hand through his hair. "That's a lot to take in."

"In all fairness," Iruka said, collecting the bowls, Kakashi helping and following him to the kitchen. "You're kind of watching it in the middle of the show. I'm sure Sasuke can show you where to access it online to watch it, if you wanted to start at the beginning."

"Maybe I will," Kakashi said. "You like it?"

"I do," Iruka sighed, smiling fondly at the thought of it. "It's kind of been there for me through good times and bad."

Kakashi nodded. "You like it, I love it," he said, smiling at Iruka, noting that the younger man turned to wash the bowls and try to hide a blush forming on his face.

______

Kakashi started, in fact, to watch the show, in part because he found he actually liked it, and because it gave him extra things to talk to Sasuke and Iruka about.

He figured having something extra to bond with his teenager was probably a smart move. And, if it gave him things to mention to Iruka, or to text and ask about....which sometimes led to phone calls or backyard discussions with the man....well, it's safe to say he would have watched the show regardless.

He also began to bring things back from his trips for Iruka - a type of candy here, a bottle of something there, to express gratitude for him taking Sasuke to school and allowing the Uchiha at his house as much as he was, though as time continued Naruto spent as much time at Kakashi's house as Sasuke did at Iruka's.

And then there were Saturdays. Sasuke and Naruto would sleepover either's house Friday night, and Saturday morning they would watch their ninja show. Iruka initially watched only at his own house, but Kakashi suggested that Iruka join Naruto at his house when he was hosting the boys, as he knew it was special to Iruka and Naruto to watch together.

Kakashi was quite pleased that Sasuke fit so well into that dynamic, even if it was only thirty minutes of television. It grew into something more, a new Saturday morning tradition for them, as Iruka always extended the same invitation for Kakashi to come over Saturday mornings if he was in town (and he did try to schedule most jobs to be back by then, even if he had to take a red eye flight).

The other part of the routine, to Kakashi's near-suffering, was that he was not allowed to join them in watching, as he was not caught up in the show.

How, he wondered, had Sasuke caught up in such a short time, but he decided that as a parent, he didn't really want to know. The Uchiha's grades were still perfect, and his health seemed fine, so Kakashi figured he'd leave it at that.

Instead, he had the pleasure of making breakfast for the others when they were at his house, feeling excited and pleased to cook different dishes to woo Iruka, starting with pancakes and omelets. Nothing so fancy it would appear he was putting in too much effort, or at least not often (not yet) - here and there he would buy bagels rather than cook, and occasionally he would make something slightly more indulgent like scones or a fancy quiche. 

Iruka would at times apologize for only having basic breakfast options at his place - toast, eggs, frozen waffles, cereal - but Kakashi assured him it was plenty, that he liked having more people to cook for and only really went all out on weekend breakfasts, so wasn't it a nice change for everyone?

And, sure, he was also planting seeds in Iruka's mind about what he might expect if he ever stayed the night himself, or a general idea of Kakashi's cooking if he were to accept a dinner invitation, once Kakashi eventually asked him over.

In the meantime, Kakashi subtly grilled Naruto for information about his guardian when he was at his house without Iruka, and hit the jackpot one day when he asked if Iruka was single.

"I just don't want to intrude on his dating time or anything when you guys do sleepovers there," Kakashi said, ignoring Sasuke's eye roll. "Especially since I join you all for Saturday breakfasts."

By now they had been neighbors for three months, though Kakashi didn't really think the first bit counted as he and Sasuke didn't spend as much time out of their house/social circle as they settled into their new home.

"No," Naruto said, shoveling dinner into his mouth as the kids took a break from Tuesday night homework. "He's single."

"Oh?" Kakashi casually asked, finishing his food.

"Yeah, he had a bad breakup right before I moved in, and he said that he didn't want to put me through anything like that, that he wanted to focus on work and being there for me."

"Wow," Kakashi said. "That's pretty dedicated."

"Unlike Kakashi," Sasuke told Naruto, "who's pretty much too lame to get a date."

"Hey! I could get a date if I wanted to!" Kakashi reminded him. "I'm also just more focused on you."

"I'm practically an adult," Sasuke argued. "Unlike you."

"See how mean he is to me?" Kakashi asked Naruto. "I bet Iruka's nicer to you."

"Iruka's worse to me," Naruto laughed. "And he loves to play pranks. I've learned the hard way more than once to always check the shower before I just jump in...:"

"Sounds like I shouldn't get on his bad side then," Kakashi mused. "Or I'd better watch my back."

"Definitely!" Naruto agreed. "Hey, Sasuke, do you want to go see that new ninja movie this weekend?"

"Ultimate Ninja Storm?" Sasuke asked, and Naruto nodded. "Hell yeah I do!"

Kakashi frowned. "Isn't that rated R?" The boys looked at him blankly. "What? You can't go alone to it."

"We're not kids," Naruto said, sighing dramatically.

"And Iruka would let you go alone?" Kakashi asked, feeling justified at Naruto's frown.

"No," the blond admitted, brightening up a moment later. "But he'd be okay if you took us!"

"Not without his permission," Kakashi said. "I am not crossing that line, believe me."

"So if Iruka says it's okay you'll take us?" Naruto confirmed.

"Yes," Kakashi agreed. "But I have to hear it from him, not through you." He paused. "And no text messages! Face to face or with a phone call!"

Iruka, it turned out, not only agreed, but admitted he wanted to see the movie too and, unsurprisingly, the four of them ended up going to see it together. The adults bought their own tickets, along with their respective kids', and Iruka gave Naruto money to get a combo at the refreshments stand for himself and Sasuke.

To Iruka's surprise, Kakashi sidled up to him in line and asked what type of soda he wanted for their combo, buying them a two-soda, one large popcorn combo, plus a box of candy for Iruka that he threw in without asking.

The smile on Iruka's face stayed with Kakashi for the entirety of the movie, as well as the feeling of sitting next to him in public, sharing their popcorn and whispering about the movie trailers.

It was Naruto's birthday not long after, and Kakashi and Sasuke gifted him with a video game based on the movie, which the kids began to play in every free moment.

Including, it seemed, waking up early for it, as Kakashi learned when he knocked on Sasuke's door the following Sunday morning to ask what he wanted for breakfast.

Not receiving a response, he opened the door and found the room empty, no Uchiha in the whole house. A quick look at his phone showed that the boy had run to Naruto's house.

Rolling his eyes, Kakashi changed out of his at-home clothes and walked over to Iruka's house. He spied the man in the kitchen and knocked on the kitchen window, semi-startling him.

Iruka's look of shock dissipated and he opened the window.

"You scared the shit out of me," he said. "Holy crap, I think I lost a life!"

Kakashi laughed. "This isn't a video game, but if you need a heart, you can have mine," he said, winking, and delighting in the blush that formed on Iruka's face.

"Would you like to come in?" Iruka invited him.

"Sure. I can just climb through this window if you'd like," Kakashi offered, referencing a scene from the ninja movie, and Iruka laughed and declined, and Kakashi headed to the back door, letting himself in.

"It appears Sasuke has given new meaning to being a morning person," Kakashi sighed, sitting at the kitchen table. "Sorry about that."

Iruka laughed. "It's fine. I mean, I didn't expect Naruto to be up so early either, but I can't blame them, the game seems pretty fun. Would you like breakfast?"

"That would be nice, but, hey, why I don't I run out and get us stuff?" Kakashi offered, standing and holding up his hands when Iruka protested. "I know the owner of a new bagel place, they'll love to see me this early. They'll be shocked, but delighted."

Iruka finally agreed, and Kakashi returned about twenty minutes later, as it was not even eight in the morning and traffic was light out.

The adults made the kids come down to grab food, allowing them to take it back upstairs to eat and play, and sat in Kakashi's back yard to eat and drink coffee in the brisk fall air as the dogs milled about.

"This is nice," Kakashi said. "Eating outside...having breakfast with someone."

"It is," Iruka agreed, scratching Guruko behind the ears, the dog's head on his lap. "It's a nice break from the rush of the week, I feel like school is busier this year than last year."

"I suppose having a teenager on your hands makes life harder every year," Kakashi lamented, making Iruka laugh. "How do you do it?"

"Lots of strong coffee, and boundaries," Iruka sighed. "Naruto's a good kid, though, and I'm lucky to have him."

"He thinks he's pretty lucky to have you," Kakashi told him. "He talks about you all the time when he's here."

Iruka smiled and sipped his coffee. "I'm grateful we didn't lose each other in the system, and that I could help out when his godfather got the opportunity to travel. Worked out for everyone." He paused. "How is it with Sasuke?"

Kakashi scratched his chin as he thought about it. "Last year was harder, everything was new for both of us, on top of what happened to his family. He didn't want me to be a parent, and I sure as hell didn't know how. I only ever interacted with him as a friend of his brother's." He shrugged. "Moving back here was a good change, a chance to re-set our lives. Truthfully, I'm surprised at how much he's come out of his shell here, though I wouldn't have blamed him for staying in it due to everything happening."

Iruka nodded. "Naruto's always wanted to be happy and social but it was hard for him for a while when he was younger. He was more accepted when Jiraiya took him in, and I think entering high school really just made it all that much better, everyone is trying to figure themselves out there. You know, he has friends there he spends time with, but none as close as Sasuke."

Kakashi laughed. "I'm pretty sure being able to be at each other's house in two seconds helps there."

"You're right," Iruka agreed. "If only I had that when I was growing up, there weren't many kids my age on this block, though not far away either. But to have someone next door? Can you even imagine?"

"Well," Kakashi began. "I've got it in you, now," he said, noting the smile on Iruka's face as both looked elsewhere, not daring to look at each other as the sentence hung in the air.

__________

Kakashi called Iruka one Thursday night. "So, there's a movie I want to see this weekend. But, it's not playing in Konoha, but at a movie theater at a mall not too far out of town. Sasuke's going to go to a different movie and we wanted to invite you and Naruto? Naruto to go with Sasuke, you could go with me or just bum around the mall..."

"Sounds fun!" Iruka said. "What movie are you seeing?"

"Maa, I'd rather not say and ruin the surprise," Kakashi said. "I'll be back in town tomorrow night, we'll leave at about noon on Saturday? That still gives you guys time after your show."

Iruka agreed and Kakashi tried to patiently wait for Saturday to come, more excited for it than he usually was.

He returned to his house to let the dogs out after breakfast at Iruka's, while the others showered and changed.

Soon, they were driving to the mall, and at the mall entrance closest to the theater, Kakashi presented Iruka with his movie ticket, bought online in advance. The teacher looked at him with raised eyebrows.

"Icha Icha? Are you serious?"

Kakashi awkwardly scratched his grey hair. "Yeah?"

"Oh," Iruka said, clearly taken aback. "I didn't think you were into that sort of thing."

"What sort of thing?" Kakashi asked, frowning. "Great writing, acting, a story line to die for?"

"I meant cheesy romance and bad one-liners," Iruka laughed. "No wonder you didn't want to tell me until we were practically in line..."

"It's a work of art," Kakashi commented. "You'll see."

Two and a half hours later, they were leaving the theater and entering the mall, Iruka laughing and laughing about the film.

"I mean, the voiceovers about what each character wanted to do to the others? Seriously?" Iruka wheezed. "No one thinks like that."

"We all do, we just don't say it," Kakashi countered.

"Hmm, is that a look into your mind?" Iruka teased him as he checked the time. "When are the kids done their movie?"

"Not for at least an hour, theirs started later," Kakashi said. "Want to grab a coffee and wander around?"

Iruka agreed and bought their coffees from a nearby food stand, a hot black one for Kakashi and an iced cinnamon roll flavor for himself, and they set off, eventually finding themselves in a bookstore.

Kakashi mostly followed Iruka, curious what the other man might read, only slightly disappointed that he stayed away from the romance section.

But on the plus side, literally following Iruka gave him a great view of the man's rear in his jeans...

Kakashi finished his coffee and threw out his cup, eyes focused on the other man, occasionally peering at a title or two, until they paused in a narrow aisle full of history books.

"History of Fire Country?" Kakashi asked, and Iruka shrugged.

"I'm always on the lookout for new information or bits to know and share," he said.

He was looking at row of books when Kakashi leaned closer, breathing in the man's shampoo, a warm scent that he had gotten rather used to by now. 

Lightly laying a hand on the small of Iruka's back, he leaned up and slowly pulled down a book from the top shelf, handing it to the younger man, who was watching his every move.

"I've heard good things about this one," he said, as he stepped away and glanced at another shelf. "If you're interested."

Kakashi felt Iruka's gaze burn into him as the teacher stammered out a thank you.

"Anytime," he told Iruka, smiling his most charming but genuine smile. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to see if there's any new Icha Icha material. I'll see you there," he said, leaving Iruka to process their new interaction, as Kakashi had not wanted to overstep his progress in the narrowness of that particular aisle.

Was it just his imagination for the rest of their time together that day (hanging out in the mall with the kids, getting dinner in the food court before heading back), or did Iruka's eyes linger on him a bit more?

_________

Kakashi knocked on Iruka's kitchen window the following Wednesday night, and the other man looked up from his table and smiled, nodding towards the back door.

"Naruto left a sweatshirt at my place," Kakashi said a moment later, draping an orange hoodie over a chair. "I'd have left it there but Bisuke was eyeing it up like a new bed..."

Iruka laughed. "Thanks for rescuing it. Would you like tea or anything?"

"I'm good, but thanks," Kakashi said, leaning against the counter. "Long night ahead of you?" he asked, nodding at a stack of papers in front of Iruka.

"Just some grading," Iruka sighed. "Nothing too crazy, hopefully."

They talked a bit more about his class and Sasuke and Naruto's work, and Kakashi watched as Iruka stood to grab water.

"Iruka," Kakashi suddenly said, as the man stood near him, filling a cup at the sink. 

Iruka looked at him curiously, waiting for him to continue as he finished filling his cup and placed it down.

"I....I don't know a better way to say this," Kakashi said, running a hand through his own unruly hair. "I like you. As more than neighbors, friends, whatever. And I know that Naruto said you haven't really pursued anything since you took him on, and I know it could be...different...if we tried for more than neighbors, since we live next to each other, but it's driving me crazy seeing you and spending time with you and not saying it."

He stopped talking, watching Iruka looking back at him with wide eyes.

"You...like me?" Iruka asked, blinking.

"Yeah."

"Oh," Iruka replied, swallowing heavily. 

"I just wanted to say it, get it off my chest," Kakashi said, shuffling in place, unsure of what Iruka's reaction could mean. "Um...I guess I'll --"

"I like you too," Iruka said in a rush. "I like you," he said, slower this time. "I just...I didn't know you liked me? Like that?"

"Well, I do," Kakashi said. "I don't want to push for anything though."

Iruka gave him a soft smile. "I get what Naruto said, and it's true, or was, but maybe we could...do something...sometime?"

Kakashi smiled. "Yeah, sure, definitely. Let me know when I can take you out for dinner, okay?"

"Okay," Iruka said. 

"Okay," Kakashi repeated. "I should go, I'll talk to you later."

Iruka numbly nodded, biting his lower lip, something not missed by Kakashi, and followed him to the back door to let him out.

When the door had closed, Iruka leaned against it, mind whirring, and let out a long exhale.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door, making him jump.

He quickly opened it, and Kakashi was standing there.

"I just need to," Kakashi said, not saying more, but gently cupped Iruka's face and kissed him, pressing their lips together for a long moment. "I just needed to do that," he said when he pulled away, reaching down and squeezing one of Iruka's hands before turning and leaving.

Iruka watched him go back to his house, stunned, before closing the door and staggering over to the table, staring at the papers, too distracted to grade.

_______

"He likes me," Iruka told Anko at lunch the next day, as they ate in her classroom.

"Who?"

"My neighbor."

"Ooh, the hot one? Sasuke's dad?" she asked, and Iruka nodded. "Well, I'm jealous but excited! Tell me everything!"

Iruka did, clapping a hand over her mouth as her eyes grew wide and she practically screamed upon hearing about the kiss.

"No he didn't! That's amazing! Like something out of a movie!"

"He does read romance novels," Iruka said, rolling his eyes.

"Oh, I wonder if he's a hopeless romantic then?" Anko sighed, poking at her food. "Kisses under an umbrella while it rains, dabbing at your mouth with a napkin when you get some whipped cream on you from hot chocolate."

"Does everyone read Icha Icha but me?" Iruka laughed. "You're terrible."

"Terribly optimistic," she corrected him. "So when are you going out?"

"I'm not sure, he told me to let him know when I'm free and he'll plan it, I think."

"Well, you let me know and I'll watch the kids so you can both have alone time," she said. "All night long alone time!"

"Anko!" Iruka laughed. "It's a first date, I doubt we'd be doing that. Plus, we're parents now," he shrugged. "I haven't gone on a date as a dad."

"You're not just a dad," she said, shooting him a look. "You're in a dad role, but it's not like you drive a minivan and wear dad jeans. You work out, have a killer bod, drive a nice car, and oh, yeah, you're in your mid 20s."

"Lots of people are parents by my age," Iruka argued.

"You know what I mean, you're not, like, some middle aged divorced guy."

"I feel like it sometimes," Iruka sighed.

"Only because you've been single while stepping into this whole dad role," Anko gently said. "It's more I think to do with how things ended with Mizuki though, the timing and all, not because you started to take care of Naruto."

"I'm so glad we ended before Naruto started to live with me," Iruka said. "What if it happens like that with Kakashi?"

"It might, it might not," Anko said. "You've been neighbors for a few months, you probably have a good idea of him, right? And Naruto's over there a lot, so he'd tell you if the guy was weird or mean."

"Naruto loves him," Iruka admitted. "Dogs, a much better cook than me, and I suspect he lets them stay up later than I do."

"Good parent, bad parent," Anko laughed. "Did you tell Naruto yet?"

Iruka shook his head. "No, it was all just last night, and I don't know if Sasuke knows." He sighed. "I'll have to see what Kakashi does..."

Iruka, having been out of the dating game for a bit, wasn't sure if he should wait longer to let Kakashi know of his availability, and so called the other man when he got home, as Naruto and Sasuke were at a club with friends and not yet home.

He barely refrained from saying "I'm free anytime next week," though he truthfully was, as he saw most friends at work and only went out at night here and there with some on his own; sometimes he took Naruto with him as the teenager knew all of Iruka's friends and their own kids. Though, he had begun to hang out with them a bit more when Naruto spent the night at Kakashi's, and once the other kids in their friend circle made plans as well.

"How about next Thursday?" Iruka suggested. He wanted to see Kakashi....but wasn't sure about a Friday night date, as lame as he felt.

"Sure," Kakashi replied. "Looking forward to it."

"Great! Um...have you...have you told Sasuke?"

"No...have you told Naruto?"

"No," Iruka sighed. "But I feel like we should. Do you mind?"

"Not at all," Kakashi assured him. "I'll let you know how it goes."

Iruka agreed, and they spoke again later that night.

"What did Sasuke say?" Iruka asked. 

"He said, and I quote, 'whatever, it's your life.' Usual teenage antics, I guess," Kakashi told him. "What about Naruto?"

"Uh..." Iruka began. "That's the thing..."

"Go on..."

"He asked if you were supposed to ask permission to date me," Iruka laughed. "I thought he was joking, turns out, he was serious."

"Really?"

"Really."

They sat in silence for a moment.

"Well," Kakashi finally said. "I guess I will."

The kids had a sleepover the next night per their usual Friday routine, this time at Iruka's house.

"Did you know Kakashi asked Iruka out?" Iruka could hear Naruto say to Sasuke, as he passed the boys' room that night.

"Yeah," Iruka heard Sasuke say, as he paused in the hallway by the semi-open door. "It's about time. He's been wanting to for a while."

"Oh," Naruto replied. "Is he a good guy?"

"He is," Sasuke said. "I've known him for a while. Just...don't tell him I said that."

Iruka bit back his own laughter as Naruto laughed. 

"Okay," Naruto said. "Iruka's good, too."

"Dobe, of course I know he is. We have nothing to worry about."

Iruka rolled his eyes at the Uchiha's nickname for Naruto, but figured it was innocent enough and headed to his own room.

The next morning, Kakashi came over as usual, and the adults smiled at each other as the group got breakfast together, the teenagers rolling their eyes but remaining silent.

"I may have overheard someone saying that you've been wanting to ask me out for a while," Iruka quietly said to Kakashi as they lingered in the kitchen, the boys headed to the living room.

"Oh?" Kakashi said, trying to act casual about it.

"Yep. I think it's kind of cute," Iruka said, smiling at Kakashi. "Well, I'll see you after the show!" he said, leaving Kakashi alone in the kitchen.

Kakashi waited until after the show was over, then popped back into the living room.

"Naruto," he began, and the other three turned to look at him. "I'd like to take Iruka out on a date next week, if you're okay with it?"

Naruto seemed to think about it, though the others knew each other already knew.

"I guess it's okay," Naruto said. "You seem okay, and you have a lot of dogs...just, don't be mean to him. Or else."

"Noted," Kakashi solemnly said.

"Thanks, dad," Iruka sighed. "Remind me to do the same thing to you when you start to date!"

_____

Iruka and Kakashi began to talk a bit more often, as Kakashi was away for work for a few days. Gai was spending time at his house, which meant Sasuke was at Iruka's a bit more, stating the other man was too loud for him.

Kakashi informed Iruka that they'd be outside for their date, and to dress appropriately, including in warm clothes, but wouldn't tell him anything more.

Thursday night, Kakashi had every intention of ringing Iruka's doorbell at seven on the dot, but the dogs were being especially rambunctious.

Fortunately, Iruka had seen them scamper this way and that when Kakashi tried to wrangle them inside and had come over to help, a unique start to a date if ever there was one.

"I think they can tell I'm a bit nervous," Kakashi admitted as they got into his car, making Iruka blush at his admission.

They made a stop at Ichiraku's to pick up a to-go order Kakashi had called in, then drove out of the city, talking about this and that, before they parked in the parking lot of a large park.

Stepping out, they grabbed the food and, to Iruka's surprise, several heavy blankets.

"What are we doing, exactly?" he warily asked the other man.

"It's one of those 'movies under the stars' things," Kakashi explained as they joined others in setting up a small picnic area for themselves. "I figured we're a bit beyond the whole getting to know you first date things."

"That's a fun idea!" Iruka agreed. "Wait, it's not Icha Icha, I hope?"

"Sadly, no," Kakashi said. "I'm saving that for date number three," he commented, ignoring Iruka's eye roll. "I figured since you like ninja shows, you might like a classic samurai film."

"Oh, that's so cool!" Iruka commented. "And thoughtful, thanks!"

They got comfortable sitting side by side on one blanket, eating their food as the film began, eventually pulling another blanket over their laps and one around their shoulders as they huddled together under it, the fall night growing cooler as it went on.

They sat in the car after, waiting for it to warm up before driving off, when suddenly Iruka leaned over and kissed Kakashi, a lingering kiss.

"I thought I might get that in before anyone at home saw us," the younger man admitted.

"No complaints from me," Kakashi said, leaning in for another kiss.

Later, as they parked at Kakashi's house, he turned to Iruka.

"You know, after new year's, I'm going to start working with Gai," Kakashi said. "I think I'd like to be home more often."

"That's not too far away, how exciting!" Iruka said, as Kakashi walked him to his front door. 

"I'm glad you're happy about it," Kakashi said. He gave Iruka a kiss on the cheek. "Just in case there's eyes on us," he laughed.

"Good move," Iruka agreed. "I had fun tonight, I hope we can do this again?"

"Of course," Kakashi said, winking at him. "Talk to you later."

And both men entered their houses, thoughts of that night playing in their minds.

__________

Kakashi had the kids at his house the next day for their weekly sleepover, and when Iruka came over for breakfast, he curled up on the sofa with Kakashi after the show.

"Gross!" Naruto shouted. "Is this what it's going to be like now?"

"Maybe," Iruka teased, sticking his tongue out.

"Well, don't let us know when you start sleeping together," Naruto told them, making Iruka blush.

"Naruto!" Iruka and Sasuke yelled. "No!"

________________

When Iruka and Kakashi decided they wanted to propose to the other two years later, they did, in fact, ask Sasuke and Naruto for permission.

Sasuke thanked Iruka for taking Kakashi off his hands as he prepared to enter college.

Naruto gave Kakashi a stern talking to about his expectations of their marriage, which Kakashi ended by putting Bisuke squarely in his lap to distract him. Even after all that time, Kakashi's dogs still won Naruto over!

Kakashi technically proposed to Iruka first, but only by a day, and they took time to plan their wedding for the following summer, when the kids would be home from college, where, yes, they not only went to the same school, but roomed together.

(And still woke up to watch the Saturday morning ninja show, with Iruka and Kakashi on speaker, as Kakashi had definitely caught up by then.)

A month before their wedding, Iruka called out to Kakashi as he stood in Naruto's old bedroom window, though the room was still kept for the kids for when they were home.

"Your house sold?" Iruka asked.

Kakashi hummed in agreement as he came to stand behind Iruka, wrapping his arms around him as he looked out the window with him, a dog popping in to see what the commotion was about.

"It did," Kakashi said.

"About time," Iruka laughed. "It's been, what, two months?"

"I was competing with a lot of other places around here," Kakashi sighed. "But since it was rented for most of the last two years, that's not bad, really."

"Well, I hope our new neighbors are nice."

"They are," Kakashi said.

"You've met them?"

"Yeah, so have you. Kurenai and Asuma bought it once they found out they're pregnant."

"They are?" Iruka asked. "Wow, that's awesome!"

"I know, they're pretty excited, and the house is a good size for them. I expect we'll have a bigger social life now," Kakashi said, sighing again.

"Well, I'd say I'm pretty lucky to have them as neighbors," Iruka said, smiling at him. "The last neighbor to buy that house turned out to be pretty great too."

**Author's Note:**

> Feedback and suggestions welcomed!
> 
> Let's connect, I'm on [tumblr](https://hkandiu.tumblr.com/)


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